All three totals, however, include millions of dollars in disputed money. Companies that joined the 1998 settlement are entitled to reduce their annual payments by the amount of market share they lose to non-participating competitors. The three major companies argue that the reductions are not large enough and have put the disputed money into escrow.

The tobacco industry has also made headlines recently for its ongoingfight over a Food and Drug Administration mandate requiring graphic labels on cigarette packaging.